News

Week In Review, Jan. 26, 2018

Post Date:01/26/2018 5:00 PM

Jan. 26, 2018
Here is the latest edition of Week In Review - a series of weekly messages from the Mayor and City Council to help Richardson residents and businesses keep up to date on events at City Hall. If you would like to sign up to receive this in a weekly e-mail click here.

City Council Backs DART CityLine Connection for Cotton Belt Rail Line

The Richardson City Council voted Monday to pass a resolution that supports a southern alignment for the future Cotton Belt Rail Line. The original transit plan for Cotton Belt projected the route to go north of CityLine along the existing Cotton Belt Rail corridor directly into Plano. The approved resolution from Richardson allows a service plan amendment for the Cotton Belt Rail Line to directly connect UT Dallas and CityLine before going into Plano.

Construction on the Cotton Belt commuter rail corridor is planned to begin late this year or early next year with a completion goal set for the fourth quarter of 2022.

To view a presentation by City staff about the Amendment given at Monday’s City Council Work Session, click here.

Next Serial Sale Set for 2015 Bond ProgramCity staff outlined the proposed schedule Monday for the sale of General Obligation (G.O.) bonds to continue projects in the 2015 Bond Program approved by voters.

Approximately $40.5 million in G.O. bonds is expected to be sold this year for year three of the Program, with $34.9 million of that slated for municipal public buildings (primarily the Public Safety Campus and Fire Station 3).

An additional $35.5 million in Certificate of Obligation bonds is also expected to be sold this year, with $23 million marked for Public Safety Campus and Main Street improvements. The remainder of the C.O. sale will be used as follows:

$6.3 million for ongoing water and sewer maintenance strategies

$2.9 million for general fund equipment (vehicles for Streets, Police and other departments)

$1.3 million for solid waste equipment (including trucks and containers)

$1.1 million for fire equipment (ambulances and fire apparatus)

$1 million for information technology equipment

The City Council is scheduled to vote on a resolution at its Feb. 12 meeting authorizing the official issuance of public notices. After issuing public notices and meeting with rating agencies (Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s), City staff plan to present the pricing of the certificates and bonds to the Council in late March. A Council vote on adopting ordinances authorizing the sale is also expected at that time.

Groundbreaking Held for MRMC Expansion
Officials with Methodist Richardson Medical Center (MRMC), members of the Richardson City Council and other local leaders celebrated the groundbreaking for an expansion at the MRMC Renner Road campus. The $85 million project will add close to 100,000 square feet to the hospital (two additional floors including 150 private patient rooms and a surgical operating room) and replace some surface parking with a seven-story parking garage, increasing onsite parking by 500 spaces.

The expansion was part of future plans for the hospital when it was constructed in 2014, but its completion date was moved up by more than seven years due to rapid population growth in the area and increased demand for specialized and acute care services.

Property Taxes Due Jan. 31Property taxes owed to the City of Richardson are due Wednesday, Jan. 31 and should be paid to either the Collin County or Dallas County Tax Office, depending on where the property is located. The City of Richardson contracts with Collin and Dallas counties for the collection of property taxes.

Collin County residents can make city, school and county tax payments at the Collin County Tax Office branch, 920 E. Park Blvd., Plano, 972-881-3014. Dallas County residents may pay city and county taxes at the Dallas County Tax Office branch, 516 Twilight Trail in Richardson, 214-653-7811. RISD taxes are billed by and paid to the RISD tax office at 420 S. Greenville Ave., Richardson, 75081, 469-593-0500.

Public Invited to State of the City Address Jan. 31

The public is invited to join the Mayor and City Council for the annual State of the City Address, Wednesday, Jan. 31 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Eisemann Center’s Bank of America Theatre. Admission and parking for the event are free and the Address will also be available to watch live online or on the city cable access channel and will also be made available later to watch on-demand online.

Online City Payments Temporarily Unavailable Tomorrow MorningDue to maintenance and upgrades on the City’s network and servers, the City’s online payment systems and some applications on the City’s website, www.cor.net, will be temporarily shut down Saturday, Jan. 27. The project is scheduled to last from 6 a.m.-noon.

The refurbishment of the Canyon Creek Park Playground was completed last week with the installation of a Ten Spin, a type of merry-go-round that allows children with a variety of physical abilities to play together. This is the first Ten Spin installed in a City of Richardson park. It has been installed with a special rubber safety surfacing in order to make it "all inclusive." The piece was made possible through donations by the family and friends of Vivian Worlein, who lived near the park and who passed away last year at age 10.

Equipment replacement began at the playground in late October 2017. Other than the Ten Spin, funding was provided by the 2015 Bond Program.

A bond-funded playground replacement featuring all adaptive/inclusive equipment and surfaces is planned for Cottonwood Park, with additional funding being raised through private donations. The Richardson East Rotary Club is spearheading fundraising efforts. Go to www.cor.net/inclusiveplayground for more information.

Mayor Proclaims January as School Board Recognition Month

This week, Mayor Paul Voelker signed an official proclamation declaring January 2018 as School Board Recognition Month and presented the proclamations to both the Richardson ISD and Plano ISD school boards. The Mayor urges all residents to join him in recognizing the dedication and hard work of local school board members and working with them to “mold an education system that meets the needs of both today’s and tomorrow’s children.”

The proclamation is in conjunction with the Texas Association of School Boards’ School Board Recognition Month annual campaign of appreciation.

Last Day to “Tree Cycle” is Feb. 2If your tinsel and ornaments have been put away but the tree remains, the City’s “tree cycling” program is available to help for one more week. The City is providing a drop-off area for natural, unflocked Christmas trees at the Municipal Service Center (open 24 hours each day), 1260 Columbia Dr., through Feb. 2.

Curbside collection is available year-round to residents for trees and other brush; call 972-744-4111 and request a Brush and Bulky Item Collection (BABIC) before your designated recycling day, then set trees, pine boughs, etc. out at the front curb for collection. Make sure to request that items be collected for composting.

Trees must be free of ornaments, tinsel, tree stands, nails, lights, etc. The trees are turned into mulch and compost which may be purchased by residents at a discount. For more information, click here.

Week in Review E-mail Address to ChangeE-mail subscribers to Week in Review will notice it coming from a new address next week, in conjunction with the roll-out of an all-new, revamped City website Feb. 1. Make sure to mark this new address as “not spam” so you’ll continue to stay up-to-date on the latest City of Richardson news, and check your spam folder if you do not receive Week in Review Feb. 2.

Health Department to Host Free Childcare Training TomorrowThe City of Richardson Health Department will offer a free training seminar for childcare providers Saturday, Jan. 27 from 8 a.m.-noon (registration begins at 7:45 a.m.) in the Grand Hall of the Richardson Civic Center/City Hall complex. A variety of guest speakers and a puppet-making session are included.

For more information and to register online, visit www.cor.net/childcaretraining. This seminar may be used for four hours of continuing education units (CEUs) for childcare providers as specified in the “Minimum Standards.” A certificate will be provided electronically after the seminar.

2018 City Photo Contest Begins Tomorrow

Sunday, Jan. 28 is the last day you can submit a photo for the City’s 2018 photo contest. Both students and adults are invited to participate in the annual event; categories include Abstract, Anything Goes, Cityscape/Architecture, Experimental/Enhanced, Fabulous Flora, Furry Friends, It’s a Small World, People, Scenic/Landscapes, Sports and Action, Still Life, Wildlife and Wonderful Waterscapes.

Entry fees are $5 per entry for high school age and younger and $10 per entry for college age and up. For more information and an entry form, visit www.cor.net/photocontest. To see last year’s winning photos, check out the 2017 Best of Show and Best of Division winners as well as the work of the 2017 contest judges on display at the Library (third floor) through Thursday, Feb. 1.

Free Tax Prep Help Begins Feb. 2The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is once again providing free tax preparation help in Richardson for low- to moderate-income senior taxpayers. This year’s sessions will take place at the Senior Center, 820 W. Arapaho Rd., each Friday Feb. 2-April 13 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Mondays Feb. 5-April 16 in the Library’s Basement Program Room from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Assistance is provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Bring your Social Security card, a copy of your 2016 tax return and all pertinent tax forms, including Social Security statements.

A limited supply of some 2017 tax forms is available free to the public at the Library. Call 972-744-4381 for more information.

Dads, grandads, uncles and other father figures are invited to treat their “little princesses” (ages 5 and older) to a Richardson tradition at the Daddy/Daughter Valentine Ball, Friday, Feb. 9 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. in the Richardson Civic Center Grand Hall. Cost is $65 per couple for residents and $67 per couple for nonresidents and includes a buffet-style dinner, a photograph taken by a professional photographer and a full night of dancing to music from a professional DJ. (Additional daughter is $30 without an additional photograph or $40 with an additional photograph.)

Registration deadline is Feb. 2 or when full. Registration is available via phone or in person at Heights Recreation Center, 711 W. Arapaho Rd., 972-744-7850. Refer to event #6020.

Lone Star Wind Orchestra Jan. 28
2:30 p.m. in the Hill Performance Hall. Tickets are $21.
The LSWO presents “Star Wars and Beyond: The Legacy of John Williams” including music from Williams’ scores of the films “Star Wars,” “E.T.,” “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” “Hook,” Superman” and “Schindler’s List.” The concert will also feature soloist Julia Bushkova, professor of violin at the University of North Texas, and film clips projected above the orchestra. The LSWO and Richardson ISD are collaborating to promote arts education awareness with this concert—50 percent of ticket sales will be donated to RISD band programs to help economically disadvantaged students.

Last Weekend for Pegasus Theatre’s “A Minor Case of Murder”Tonight through Jan. 28 at 8 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m., in the Bank of America Theatre. Tickets are $24-$44.
It’s New Year’s Eve 1933, and world-famous detective Harry Hunsacker is back in “Living Black and White™” as he faces one of his most puzzling cases ever, along with his paid-by-the-hour assistant Nigel Grouse, and Lt. Foster “of the real police.”

Randy Noojin in “Seeger” Feb. 27:30 p.m. in the Bank of America Theatre. Tickets are $40.
Noojin, who graced the Eisemann stage in 2016 as Woody Guthrie, returns in this critically acclaimed, multimedia solo show portraying the late folksinger/activist, Pete Seeger. Set at a benefit in Washington, D.C. advocating free speech in Cuba, the show features Seeger’s signature songs including “If I Had a Hammer,” “Turn, Turn, Turn,” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” “Bring ‘Em Home,” “We Shall Overcome” and “Guantanamera.”

Unless otherwise noted, tickets to Eisemann Center events are available at the Eisemann Center Ticket Office, 972-744-4650 and at www.eisemanncenter.com.

At UT Dallas:

Grand Opening of Eichmann Trial Exhibit Jan. 27
7 p.m. in front of the Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies, Room JO 4.800. Admission is free and includes refreshments.
In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day Jan. 27, UT Dallas graduate students have assembled multimedia artifacts that examine the prosecution of Adolf Eichmann, considered the architect of the Holocaust. Exhibit will continue through Feb. 2. Click here for more information.

Common Ground Jazz Quartet Jan. 278 p.m. in the Jonsson Performance Hall. Tickets are $15.
The Common Ground Jazz Quartet featuring Lou Harlas, Mario Cruz, Kelly Durbin and Harrell Bosage, along with vocalist Sandra Kaye, will perform the music of Burt Bacharach and others. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Lecture Series: Mark Johnson—”Moral Imagination” Jan. 317:30 p.m. in the Jonsson Performance Hall. Admission is free.
Author and University of Oregon professor Mark Johnson explores cognitive science research that reveals the central role of empathic imagination, seeing moral reasoning as being more like art than rational calculation. Click here for more information.

“The Odd Couple” Opens Tonight at Richardson Theatre Centre

Oscar Madison and Felix Unger will reside in “hilarious harmony” at Richardson Theatre Centre Jan. 26-Feb. 11, as RTC presents Neil Simon’s comedy, “The Odd Couple.” Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $20-$22 depending on the day of show; call 972-699-1130 to reserve. Don’t miss the chance to see this classic tale of a clean freak and a slob and how they manage to live together while driving each other crazy.

Arts Incubator of Richardson (AIR) will host a SEED Creativity session, entitled, “Dare to Dream—Creativity Vision Boards” Tuesday, Jan. 30 from 6-8 p.m. at Four Bullets Brewery, 640 N. Interurban St. in Richardson. Local artist Julie Spanos will guide participants through a vision board exercise focused on all the ways they want to bring creativity into their lives this year. Each participant will get to create (and take home) their own vision board art piece that will serve as their daily prompt of how they want to make creative goals come to life. Boards, mat medium, magazines, decorative papers, scissors and some brushes will be provided. Participants may bring paint, stamps, and/or anything else they might want to incorporate into their board.

Cost is $5 per person; bring cash or check made out to Arts Incubator Richardson. Beverages and light bites will be provided; additional beverages will be available for purchase. Click here to RSVP by Jan. 28 on the event’s Facebook invitation.

Get Tech Savvy with Reading Apps Jan. 27

Learn to use popular reading apps such as OverDrive, Kindle and Goodreads Saturday, Jan. 27 from 10:30 a.m.-noon in the Basement Training Room. The apps help you access books, track reading lists and more while on-the-go.

For adults and teens. Admission is free but registration and a valid Richardson Public Library Card is required; call 972-744-4368 for more information and to register. Laptops will be available or you may bring your own.

Tales for Tails Jan. 28

Readers in grades K-4 are invited to read to real dogs (from Heart of Texas Therapy Dogs) Sunday, Jan. 28 from 3-4 p.m. in the First Floor Program Room. Admission is free but a ticket is required; tickets are available beginning at 2:30 p.m. the day of the event in the Youth Services area.

For more information, call 972-744-4358.

“Voices of the Underground Railroad” Feb. 1Kick off Black History Month in the Library’s Basement Program Room Feb. 1 as Esther Malone presents “Voices of the Underground Railroad” from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Meet people from the past who blazed the path to freedom through fearless tenacity.

For adults and teens. Admission is free and no registration is required. For more information, call 972-744-4376. Funding for this program has been provided by the Friends of the Richardson Library.

Richardson Animal Shelter Pet of the Week

We love Lucy! She is about 2 years old, spayed, fully vaccinated and ready to be your snuggle buddy! Even at 43 pounds Lucy believes she is a lap dog, and she has a favorite squeaky toy that she can’t live without. Who wouldn’t want to adopt this lov-a-bull mutt? Please help her find a forever home!

For information about other animals available for adoption, visit the Animal Shelter’s web page here.